10:00 AM

Nothing!   There was nothing at all!   “There’s never anything worthwhile!” thought Chris as he stooped to read a card pinned only centimetres from the bottom of the notice board.   He read the card, then straightened and changed places with a tiny Italian woman who glanced at the card then shrugged at Chris.   He nodded toward the woman, and put on his best bemused look to signify his agreement.

Chris glanced back over his left shoulder and saw the crowd at the counter had not visibly thinned out during the half an hour he had been waiting.   But at least he had put his card in already, unlike many of the people jostling for a place at the front of the counter.

“All day!” thought Chris.   He would be there all day, waiting for a five-minute interview.   A whole day lost.   A whole day, which could have been better, spent looking for work, or even at home completing his homework.   He wondered how they expected him to ever find work, when they fooled him around like this, kept him waiting around for hours for an interview that should have been walked through in a couple of minutes?

“Penicolli?” called out Heinrich Himmler, standing behind the counter.

Chris had expected a Ja Wohl.   But, of course, it wasn’t really Heinrich Himmler, merely an excellent facsimile, right down to the starched black uniform.   Or rather, the sharp-cut, old-fashioned suit could easily have stood in for a Gestapo uniform, apart from the lack of insignia.   Chris wished he could see behind the counter to see if Heinrich was wearing army boots.

Penicolli’s reply was unintelligible, lost beneath a heavy accent.

“You haven’t filled it in properly,” stated Heinrich Himmler, as Penicolli squeezed through the crowd to reach the front of the counter.

“Scuzie!” said Penicolli.   Or at least that’s what it sounded like to Chris.

“The form,” said Heinrich to a bemused stare, “You haven’t filled it in properly.   Let’s see … Right, what’s your nationality?”

“Australian,” was only just intelligible beneath the accent.

“No, no, you stupid wog.   Where were you born?” demanded Heinrich.